Fireplace



Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to fireplaces, and

, more particularly to the knock-down type made of sheet material as. fibre board or cardboard, which are used for decorative purposes.

' 5 The principal object of this invention is to provide a fireplace of the character mentioned, of novel and improved construction, which permits a great variety of decorative structural combinations and color schemes.

Another object hereof, is to provide a fireplace of the type set forth, of novel and improved construction, which embodies the assembly of members of contrasting surface design, by a means which also effects the reinforcement of the entire structure against the tendency to warp.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of the type described, of novel and improved construction, having the features mentioned, which is simple and reasonably cheap to manufacture, easy to set up, and suited for the purpose for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fireplace, following the teachings of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken at line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the flexible panels serving as fire-box side walls in the fireplace of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows one of the possible developments of the front and side walls of said fireplace.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a section taken at line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged rear View, showing in perspective, the fire-box component included in the fireplace illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the drawing, the fireplace, essentially an inverted box, indicated generally by the numeral I5, which may be of fibre board, cardboard and the like, comprises a front wall I6, side walls [1, and a rear wall l8, which walls form a tubular structure coveredby a top member I9. The front wall I6, has a cut-out 20, here shown of rectangular shape, directly up from the bottom edge of said wall. Stiles 2 l, which may be wood mould- 55 tal edge of said opening or cut-out 20, and is seing having an H-shaped cross-section, or any.

cured to theends of each of the stiles 2|, so that said moulding .or edgings form an inverted U- shaped frame. A fire-chamber 25, may be as in Fig. 1, formed by means of walls 26,.extending respectively in spaced relation from .each of said stiles 2|, to the rear wall It.

These walls 23, are separate panels, which preferably present an exposed surface different in texture, design, color or construction, than the material of the front walls of-the structure. For

instance, said walls 26, may bemade of a flexible paper board, presenting a corrugated surface, illustrated in Fig. 3, so that said walls, in assembly, assume an arcuate shape to lend distinctive design and decorative effect.

The vertical edges of the cut-out 20, are suitably secured in longitudinal slot 22 of the stile 2|, thereby edging it, and the forward vertical edge of the panel or fire-box wall 26, is secured in a suitable manner in slot 23, while the rear edge of said wall 26, is secured to the rear wall l8, as for instance by means of the paper fasteners 21,

The stiles 2|, thus serve to mount adjacent walls and decoratively cover the seam where the fire box joins the front wall of the fireplace, and together with the cross-piece 24, which forms a frame with said stiles, serve to materially strengthen the structure by making it more sturdy, and said frame further helps to avoid warping of the front wall I6.

For greater contrast in color, and to simulate a brick firebox, as another adaptation of this invention, I provide, for instance, a panel as in Fig. 7, which has a T-shaped slit, whereby by folding said panel to the form indicated in Fig. I, the fire-box side walls 28 are formed, as well as the front facing therefor, comprising the inverted U-shapedpart 30, the edges of which are suitably secured within the continuous slot formed in the stiles 2| and their cross-piece 24.

Itis obvious that the use of the frame composed of stiles 2| and the cross-piece 24 at the front of the fire-box, permits other inserts of various shapes and decorative effects to be included in the setup.

Since this invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed, it is therefore intended and desired that the specific embodiments shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive, and that the patent shall cover whatever features of patentable novelty are herein disclosed; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the description set forth to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a fireplace of the character described, an inverted box structure of the knock-down type; the front wall of said box structure having a substantially vertically side-edged opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge of said wall, stiles secured along the said vertical edges of the opening; said stiles being provided with longitudinal grooves, and walls secured at one of their edges Within the grooves in thestiles and at another of their edges to the rear wall of the box structure, whereby an imitation fire-box is formed within the box structure; the exposed surfaces of the fire box walls being different in appearance than the exposed surface of the front wall; all of the vertical walls of the fireplace being of paper-like sheet material.

2. An article as in .claim 1, characterized in that the fire box Walls are horizontally flexible and longer than the perpendicular distance be- ,tween the front and rear walls of the box structure, whereby said fire box walls will assume an arcuate shape in symmetry with the box structure.

3. An article as in claim 1, characterized in that the fire box walls are of vertically corrugated material and longer than the perpendicular distance between the front and rear walls of the stantially vertically side-edge opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge of said, wall, a sheet member having a front surface of different appearance than the exposed surface of the front wall, slit and bent to form an inverted U-shaped front portion and rearwardly extending panels, one at each side, and an inverted U-shaped frame secured along the edges of said opening; said frame being provided with a groove therealong adapted to receive said sheet member; the rearward edges of the panels being respectively sei cured to the rear wall of the box structure to form the side walls of a fire-box; all of the vertical Walls of the fireplace being of paper-like sheet material.

6. An article as in claim 5, characterized in that the front surface of said sheet member is decorated to simulate brick-work.

WILLIAM GERSTEN; 

